Noticeboard

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL PATIENTS: PLEASE NOTE WITH EFFECT FROM TUESDAY 3 MAY DR JAMES BRAGG WILL WORK PREDOMINANTLY FROM STOKE GIFFORD MEDICAL CENTRE AND DR PETER YOUNG WILL WORK FROM CONYGRE ROAD MEDICAL CENTRE

Appointments - The normal consultation time is 10 minutes

Where you have a medically urgent condition, we offer an appointment system that allows you to ring on the morning of the day that you want to be seen. Patients with urgent conditions should call as soon as possible after 8.00am. Where available and appropriate, you will be offered an appointment with our Minor Illness Nurse or our Nurse Practitioner. For patients requesting a same day GP appointment, Reception will take your details and a GP will call you back as soon as possible to discuss your needs. With you, the GP will decide on the best course of action and arrange a follow up appointment as required. (For more information about this type of system you may want to look at the following website - http://www.productiveprimarycare.co.uk/doctor-first.aspx). The aim of this appointment system is to speed up patient access and ensure that GP capacity is allocated to the most medically complex needs. More information is contained in our newsletter or in factsheets available from the surgery.

Calls should be made to the surgery on 0117 979 9430.

If you want to pre-book an appointment for a routine or non-urgent consultation, you can do so up to 1 week in advance either by telephone or via the on-line booking system. We allocate about 65% of our GP capacity to pre-bookable appointments in order to provide as much choice as possible. Please noteat times we may need to reduce the number of available appointments that are pre-bookable in order to manage peaks in demand. E.g. on Monday, post bank holiday, or during school holidays and when we have unexpected absences. An appointment should also only be used to discuss one medical condition.

Extended hours appointments with a range of clinicians are offered on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 0730 and 0800. These need to be prebooked.

Note: Each appointment is for one patient only.

The doctor’s surgery times are as follows:

Early Morning - 7.30AM - 8AM. Pre-booked appointments with a range of clinicians are offered on a Tuesday (SGMC), Wednesday (CMC) and Thursday (SGMC).

Out of Hours – The practice is supported by the Out of Hours GP service. If you have a medical condition that requires GP attention, outside of the surgery hours, you should contact the Out of Hours Service on 111.

For routine enquiries, please call after 10AM when lines are less busy.

Doctors' Education Sessions

On the second Wednesday afternoon of every month the Doctors will be partaking in mandatory education sessions to keep their knowledge up to date. As a result there will be limited capacity for appointments on these afternoons. Please bear this in mind when booking appointments

Changes from June 2015

Following a review of our systems, there will changes to the SGMC and CMC appointment system from 1st June 2015 click here to read more

SGMC and CMC Appointments System

Home Visits

If possible please try to telephone reception before 10am if you require a home visit.

A doctor or nurse may phone you back as it may be that your problem can be dealt with by telephone advice, or that it would be more appropriate to send a nurse, or indeed arrange a hospital attendance.

House visits are only available for patients who are housebound because of illness or disability. In practice this applies to a very small proportion of people. In particular, children who are ill can usually be brought to the medical centre without fear of making them worse.

If you lack transport to the medical centre then illness is usually an occasion when family or neighbours are very willing to help out. We will certainly make every effort to make sure you are seen as soon as possible when you have come into the medical centre under these circumstances. Unless very urgent, home visits will usually take place between 12pm and 2pm. If the problem is very urgent please indicate this to the receptionist.

Please remember that several patients can be seen in the practice in the time that it takes to make one home visit. There are also better facilities for examining and treating patients at the Health Centre.

Sickness Certificates

You do not require a doctor's sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.

Evidence that you are sick

If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).

It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a 'Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.

You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.

Fit for Work Referrals

Fit for Work is a voluntary service that offers the wider working population access to occupational health advice and support. GPs and employers throughout England and Wales can refer their employed patients and employees who have been, or are likely to be, off sick from work for four weeks or more for a free voluntary occupational health assessment. The occupational health professional will identify obstacles preventing the employee from returning to work. A Return to Work Plan will be agreed providing recommendations tailored to the employee’s needs, which can replace the need for a fit note.

Fit for Work is here to support you in work, and if you’re off sick, in a way that’s right for you.​ Whether you work for yourself or an organisation, you can access expert and impartial advice delivered by the Fit for Work team of occupational health professionals. To chat online to a specialist advisor or speak to an advisor please visit http://fitforwork.org/employee/

Statement of Fitness for Work - ’Fit Note'

The 'fit note' was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer's support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.